Trip West Update and final bolg entries

[S. Heisley]

The problems with technology!
Big Basin Redwoods has no cell coverage and no Wi Fi so we have been out of touch. Not necessarily a bad thing. BUT no updates.
One lady was asking about how to get out of the park, because the GPS on her cell phone will not work with out cell coverage.
I ran into a wiring problem with the inverter and was going to trace it with the VOM I brought with me, which has a dead battery

The Sirius receiver did work and so did our TomTom GPS.

Should have brought the heater not the AC. we have been COLD.

I just got a GPS unit and tried it out yesterday. Now, I know why you called yours "Mother" and tossed it in the back seat! Gads! Anyway, I liked it, although the voice made me laugh and name it "Mother G" and it did goof before we even got out of the neighborhood. It just goes to show that you can't depend on GPS alone; but, it helps because "Mother G" tells you how soon before you need to turn, etc. "She" had to do a lot of recalculating because I refused to go the way she wanted me to and she told me about it like she was exasperated. Still, not going by ones turn and not having to find a place to turn around when pulling a trailer will be worth listening to "Mother G".
"Mom" isn't perfect but she's 'supposed' to know best.

[Shadow Catcher]

Nancy has a following on the blog and a good bit of that following is the kids who are keeping track of mom and dad. I carry a small inverter as well as the 300W which will power the TV or laptop. Big Basin was noisy the last night when a LARGE group of college students came in and so we watched a movie and listened to the radio.
I did pick up batteries in Sonora for the meter and was able to find the problem (a lose connector).
SC I would hazard a guess that where you camp you are some distance from other campers. This is not the case in many many campgrounds.

[Shadow Catcher]

We made it home Monday after spending the night on the south shore of Lake Superior. Nancy does intend to finish the blog but we ran into a string of KOA's that had poorly working or non working wi fi which ticks me off, if you advertise it, it ought to work.

We came in under budget at about $130 a day, most of that for gas.

Things that worked very well, the solar panel kept the battery charged even in deep forest on the six days we were off grid, never got below 75% state of charge. This despite having one night in Big Basin Redwoods that we watched a movie. I will attribute part of this to having the high voltage solar panel as it was producing current even in deep shade (though not a great deal). Nancy finally admitted she really liked having the Waeco refrigerator, not having to deal with finding ice things floating around in melt water... Tires go a real workout on some of the "roads under repair" and dirt roads in some of the more inaccessible areas.
The 212 HP H6 3L Subaru really does not like high altitude. One of the destinations was Saddlebag Lake at 10,000 feet over Tioga pass, the highest lake you can drive to in the US. There was one very steep section into the camp ground where I did not know if we would make it, we did.

Things that did not work. There were periods where we were out of cell contact for days, the TomTom GPS would not accept some addresses i.e. the parks we visited, the camp ground in Minnesota... and is going to be replaced with a Garmin. The OFF clip-on (motor powered) was utterly useless, particularly in that park in Minnesota, Isn't the mosquito the state bird? The Nikon wide angle zoom lens self destructed in Yellowstone, what hurts is that I have a 35mm fixed focus that I did not bring, so all of the pictures after Yellowstone are with the 55 to 200 zoom.

Neither nor, We used KOA's while making miles coming and going, easy to find and if you are only staying one night... Some had working wi-fi and cable tv. Most were crowded, some not so clean and things not working.
State/National parks clean but few amenities, most with out showers. I had planned on picking up a shower tent in the Reno Cabala's, did not have much other than fishing stuff almost no camping gear.

We are both beat, and the trip next year will be up to Lake Superior Provincial Park. 10 hrs up, and set up for a week or more on the shore. We will take the canoe and explore the canoe routes in the park. This trip was primarily for family, sisters 50 wedding anniversary and see my 96 YO uncle and extended California family members.

[Rlowell]

Thank You!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful trip with us!

It has been many years since I was in the western part of our great country. I do miss the grandeur of the mountains and the four seasons. I miss the beauty of
the wide open spaces, the deserts...just the diversity that makes our country so grand. To realize that each part of this country has such a tremendous beauty
gives me great pride.

Again, thanks for sharing your trip and the great photos!

Rod

[Roly Nelson]

Bummer, Tom, I had a prime rib dinner all cooked for you guys when you came by So Calif, but.......No, you never made it this far south. I envy your adventures and can relate to many of the things that you have seen. We have a great Nation, and it is a pity that more folks don't get-outta-the-house and enjoy the sights. Have fun on the next one. Check out the Split Rock Light House, up there. It is a bit north of Duluth, and has a great history as seen in their LH museum right on the edge of the cliff.
Roly ~~

[Shadow Catcher]

Nancy has finished the blog.http://tomandnancygrover.blogspot.com/
There are many of you that I would have loved to visit but time and were the blocks.

It was exhausting. Nancy because of her vision and not much feel for driving only drove for a couple of hours during the trip. We tried to go too far each day. I am going to post a couple of pictures that I think were special one of which, the picture of CR in front of Chimney Rock that is going to turned into a painting. that particular picture to me sort of symbolizes a teardrop trip. Pioneers used it as a major land mark in crossing to the west.

[Verna]

Tom and Nancy:

Thanks for a wonderful recount of your trip. It was almost like being there. I'm so glad everything went well, and that you guys enjoyed yourselves. Now, rest and recuperate, and plan that next trip

[Ron Dickey]

Good job on the blog. I did one with no pictures on our trip to NM. We stayed at KOA's and used the wifi. We want to drive up to Oregon, Washington some time in the future. You always meet good folks on long trips and the trailer is most always the ice breaker.
Ron

[S. Heisley]

Tom and Nancy:

Thanks for a wonderful recount of your trip. It was almost like being there. I'm so glad everything went well, and that you guys enjoyed yourselves. Now, rest and recuperate, and plan that next trip

Verna said it all. Thanks for the recount and the pictures and the advice on KOA's, too! Good job! Glad to hear that you are happy with your teardrop...and no trailer envy!

[Shadow Catcher]

Thanks all. Nancy went through and read all of the comments, mine included, and appreciates that her efforts were of value to others.
Next years trip will be to Lake Superior Provincial Park for a week or longer. The canoe goes with us (the best way to see the park). This meets my needs for wilderness, the shear number of people in our parks is very off putting to me . The call of the loons (the bird) is the symbol of a healthy habitat and most of the park you can only get to by canoe.

[pete42]

Tom and Nancy I too want to thank you for allowing me to follow along with you on your trip.
looking forward to leaving and looking forward to getting home just means you like many
would find full-timeing a way of life that doesn't suit you.
I once though living on a sailboat was what I wanted to do until I spent a summer on one.
then I thought a motorhome would be the way to go
but couple of months in florida in a travel trailer convinced me the trailer is all I want
and a couple of months would be doable
I have done that for several years altho I missed last couple due to health.
I'm glad your home safe and sound, welcome back to normaly green but now brown Ohio.

pete